By | Alyssa Frigillana Gómez
Born and raised out of Brooklyn, New York, comes Puerto Rican streetwear fashion icon, Alani “Wuzg00d” Figueroa. Wuzg00d has been known on the internet for her colorful self-expression and coordination, funky eclectic style, over-accessorization of gold, and extra-long acrylic nails. Over the past few years, Wuzg00d has become increasingly recognizable as a face of streetwear fashion, and when asked what she does for a living, she says “Get dressed”. With collaborations from Adidas, Target, The M Jewelers, Topicals, and more, Alani keeps her strong Nuyorican spirit with her and uses it as her opportunity to share and spread her culture through her creative direction. In a virtual interview with SoleSavy, Figueroa even mentions that while she may appear confident through her clothing choices she still deals with her insecurities, but living in New York helps because “it’s not much that can happen out here to make you raise an eyebrow”, since New York is known for its immense diversity and creative fashion choices, along with wild characters that you encounter every day on the streets.
Highlighting Herencia
Herencia, Spanish for Heritage, is a jewelry line by Wuzg00d, highlighting the rich culture of Nuyoricans. A Nuyorican can be described as a Puerto Rican who resides in New York. For further context, in the 1960s and 1970s, there was a Nuyorican Movement led by poets, writers, and artists, protesting against and speaking out against issues Puerto Ricans were facing during this time. Some of these issues include “pervading racism and discrimination, the neglect by city governments of deteriorating conditions in poor ethnic neighborhoods, and the urban renewal projects that displaced them and forced them to relocate” according to The Center for Puerto Rican Studies, with riots from Chicago to New York, Philadelphia, and New Jersey where many Boricuas resided. Alani herself stated that her mother was the focal point of this project, growing up watching her mom put on chunky gold, “a whole lot of it”, she used this to “continue being inspired, and never stop pushing the culture forward”.
The M Jewelers is a jewelry company founded in 2013, with locations ranging from New York, Los Angeles, and Tokyo. Over time, they have become one of the biggest jewelry brands in North America. Within her jewelry line and creative direction, we can sense and visualize the pride of true Puerto Rican culture, as she uses her strong sense of style and culture to tell a story rather than simply advertise earrings and necklaces. Her use of Puerto Rican dominoes is a reference to a traditional Puerto Rican game, “Double 6” or “El Domino” played at social/family gatherings, paired with iconic long red acrylics for that Latina effect which also stems from the inspiration of famous and legendary reggaeton era, Ivy Queen, alongside her mother. From how Alani names her pieces of jewelry to how she shows us how to accessorize, the pride and inspiration stemming from Puerto Rico is clear as day.
Figueroa’s Future Collective
Over the summer of 2023, Alani spent her time in La Isla del Encanto, Puerto Rico, to be able to re-experience her culture and draw inspiration for her next collaboration, which would be with Target. Wuzg00d states that this is an ode to Puerto Rico rather than a collection for Target, and is a “celebration of the vibrant essence of my island… and a trip back to my home”.
Alani Noelle’s collection contains up to 39 different pieces of clothing to mix and match with, from vibrant colors to abstract prints, ranging in sizes XXS-4X, not only did she ensure size inclusivity and body positivity, but also made her items affordable ranging from $15-$48 max. While it might be a few seasons later since this release of 2023, it’s still important to highlight this creative direction and see that her life’s work is deeper than fashion, but rather, about representing la cultura and giving back to the community that gave so much to her.
Wuzg00d x FinesseYourClaws
If you haven’t already noticed, Wuzg00d is known for her lengthy, curvy, creative acrylic nails. Between her and her nail tech, FinesseYourClaws, they come up with the most unique, one-of-a-kind nail concepts, sharing a strong partnership and passion for art and self-expression, below is another example of Alani drawing inspiration from Puerto Rico.
Concluding La Cultura
With all this being said, I think it’s safe to say that time and time again Alani Noelle Figueroa, better known as Wuzg00d, has used her culture as a motive to represent her upbringing and inspiration, using fashion as her way of expressing her Nuyorican spirit, and representing her island and flag every opportunity she gets, like a typical Boricua. As Plena Libre says, “Que Bonita Bandera” (“what a beautiful flag”).
Sources
“Alani ‘WUZG00D’ Figueroa Inspires People to Embrace Their Colorful Selves | Triple Stitch.” YouTube, YouTube, 18 June 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8g2Vgx2joc.
Girls United: Instagram Influencer Wuzg00d Debuts Collection With Target, Danielle Wright, 9 May 2023, girlsunited.essence.com/article/wuzg00d-alani-noelle-target-future-collective/.
Instagram, www.instagram.com/wuzg00d/?hl=en. Accessed 16 Feb. 2024.
Pinterest, www.pinterest.com/. Accessed 16 Feb. 2024.
Thompson, Kelly. Vieques Insider,
“WUZG00D Jewelry, Herencia by WUZG00D.” The M Jewelers,
themjewelersny.com/collections/herencia-by-wuzg00d. Accessed 16 Feb. 2024.
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